Until Death do us Part
by Madilayn
Summary: Part of the Generations arc. On the eve of their wedding, Mark writes a letter to Princess.


**Title: '**Til Death Do Us Part

**Author:** Madilayn

**Fandom:** Battle of the Planets

**Characters / Pairings:** Mark Shaw / Princess Alexandra Romanova

**Disclaimer:** Battle of the Planets is owned by the Sandy Frank Corporation & Gatchaman by Tatsunoko. I make no profit from my use of characters and situations

**Summary:** Part of the Generations universe. Mark writes a letter to Princess on the eve of their wedding.

**Author Notes:** Written for the RAFT Challenge at Gatchamania.

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Dear Lexa

It seems such a little thing to say. Dear. And yet, you are dear, and yet more dear to me.

You've been by my side all of my life; strong, supportive and, above all, loving. Although we and Jason were brought up as though we were brothers and sisters, I can assure you that I've never ever thought of you as a sister. Since the day you came into my life, you have been my dearest love.

I remember your arrival, dressed head to toe in black, your face proud, yet streaked with tears that you were too proud to admit you'd shed.

Nothing like you had ever crossed Jason and my paths before, yet as I looked at you, even at eight, I wanted to take you in my arms and wipe away the traces of your tears. I wanted to make things better for you. I wanted, most of all, to see you smile.

Do you remember that first night? I'll never forget it. You wouldn't eat. Nothing we could do seemed to penetrate your grief and eventually you went to bed, desperately missing your parents who you had buried that day.

I remember hearing you cry, darling. I'd woken up and was going to get a drink of water when I passed your door and heard you. You sounded so heartbroken and it broke my own heart to hear you crying.

I never have been able to resist your tears – and that seems to go back to our first twenty-four hours together!

Do you remember how I crept in and climbed into your bed? I can still remember how you felt in my arms that very first time. Two eight year olds trying to comfort each other for the deepest loss – that of a parent.

I can remember that we talked all night, Lexa. You told me about your family, how your parents had died, and I told you about my belief that my father was still alive.

Even then, you believed me as no other did. You promised that you would help me find my father.

I remember that was the first night we slept in each other's arms. That first morning, waking up with you snuggled so trustingly against me was the happiest of my life – even if dad was pretty angry when he woke us up.

Can you remember my darling, how you defended me? Can you remember how you told the Chief – dad! – how sad you were and how I had comforted you?

It's stayed with me all my life. It was the first time that you were there for me. That was the moment I truly fell in love with you. I didn't even fully understand what love was at eight. I only knew that it was a different love from that I had for my parents, or even for Jason.

You always believe in me, Lexa. Even when I behave like a complete and utter idiot, you're there, not mincing words, but always providing your love behind any annoyance.

I know that I've not been as faithful as you, my wonderful one. I know that often I've taken the path of least resistance when it came to our relationship. It doesn't mean that I loved you any less – only that I wasn't as strong, as steadfast as you.

Jason often says that I don't deserve you, and I know that's true.

I'm glad, though, that I did finally find the strength we both needed to stand before Anderson and refuse to deny our love any longer.

Whether as Eagle and Swan, or Mark and Alexandra, we were not going to be apart any longer.

Oh my darling, darling, Lexa. Can you remember the press release? The one that Jason drew up announcing to the world that the Eagle and Swan was now an item? I snagged a copy of it from him, and I've got it in our memory box, love. Do you remember what happened when Anderson read it in the newspapers?

I remember your face. I didn't at first know if you wanted to kill or kiss Jason! From my personal point of view – neither would have been my choice. As much as he can infuriate me, I do need him darling.

Can you remember how we ran away that day? How we spent it hidden in the wilderness around Camp Parker? How we spent the day making love, and laughing.

Oh my Lexa! I can still see how beautiful you looked, lying naked in the grass, how your face looked as we made love, how you tasted to me that summer day – warm with sunshine and love.

I've been sitting here, writing this, looking at our lives together – as you may have guessed. The good, and the bad, my darling. Those horrible days when I thought I'd lost you forever. It was only then that I could fully realise and understand what you went through when I put my own life in danger.

I'm sorry that I put you through that, Lexa. Oh my darling, I keep hurting you without meaning to!

I know that I've disappointed you. I'm not going to deny any of the women I've slept with – Amanda Gregg amongst them. Please believe me, my Lexa, when I tell you that there was no real affection there.

The problem is that, until you, I was never able to obtain sexual satisfaction and spent a lot of time trying to get rid of this frustration.

Anderson had forbidden you, Lexa. He told me that if I ever entered into a relationship with you that he would throw me off the G-Force team. The same went for Jason.

He told us that he didn't care who else we slept with, as long as we were discrete.

God! Anderson and Cronus- both of them my father and both of them seem to be incapable of seeing me as a man. Whenever they start hectoring me, I feel about ten years old.

And after each time, Lexa, all I could do was to find some woman and fuck her until I felt like a man again.

All the time, Lexa, I was thinking of you. And how only ever made me feel competent, never made me feel like a child (even when you did scold!).

I promise you, Alexandra, my all my heart, not only as Mark, but also as the Eagle, that after the first time we made love, I have never, ever, looked at any other woman, or wanted any other woman in my bed.

Sweetheart – and Lexa, I've only ever called you that, my Sweetheart; you give me pleasure and ease like I've never had. After knowing your sweet body, feeling myself buried deep within you, hearing your cries of passion, oh Lexa!

After I finish this, and put it where I know you'll find it tomorrow night, I'm going to go to our bed and make love to you again. And again. And again.

Since you, there have been no others. They've tried. You've gotten rid of some, and so have I. Even the ones naked in my bed – they've not tempted me at all.

They're not you, my Lexa.

I love you. I fell in love with you when we were eight, and I've never stopped loving you. What may be sex with others is making love with you. I'm a very fortunate man – you are a generous lover, my Lexa. Generous, passionate and curious.

As a man, I couldn't ask for more.

I can only ask that you do forgive me for what I have been. To me, it was all a learning experience – learning skills to give you pleasure.

I know it sounds trite, but that's all I want to do. Give you pleasure. Give you the life I want you to have, that you deserve to have.

I was prompted to write this when I was going over our wedding vows. Darling, I'm glad that we decided to go with traditional vows. They may be old fashioned, but they convey my sentiments in a way that nothing else can.

Lexa, darling, we have already spent a lifetime by each other's sides.

And tomorrow, together we shall enter a new phase of our lives together – as husband and wife.

Until death do us part.

That's the part that terrifies me, Lexa. For most couples, it's an abstract thing. Death is many years in the future.

Not for us, my love. We look death in the face every day, and every day we will have to face the fact that today may be the day that death do us part.

If we die, my Lexa, we die together. I cannot live without you, love.

I pray to god every night that we are granted a long life together. A life where we can raise a family (have I mentioned – I want a big family my darling). I want to see you pregnant, want to see your belly swell with our children; knowing that with each child you are made more and more mine.

Tomorrow, I will watch you coming down the aisle towards me. You will be beautiful as you never have been before. And yet, Lexa, nothing will be as beautiful to me as the day I first saw you.

Tear streaked, covered in black veiling and my beautiful, wonderful Russian Princess.

Princess Alexandra Romanova – I'm not rich. My family isn't royalty like yours. We can't trace our lineage back thousands of years.

I've not even got a lot to offer you, love. Except my heart and my promise that it will be yours until death us do part – and beyond.

And so, my Princess, if you do love me, and if you're willing to accept this ordinary man as your husband, meet me at the Cathedral in Centre City the day after tomorrow at 3pm.

I'll be waiting for you at the top of the aisle. For your sake, I'll be in full morning dress (and no – until you and Anne produced it, I had absolutely no idea what it was!), wearing a goofy grin with Jason standing sentinel behind me (probably to stop me fainting).

I'll be the one standing there who loves you with all of his heart. Be warned – I may not let Anderson walk you up the aisle. In fact, wait for me at the bottom. For this, the happiest day of our lives, I want to walk with you on your last walk as Alexandra Romanova, as well as your first as Alexandra Shaw.

I love you, Lexa. Until death us do part.

Mark.


End file.
